1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to vehicle door guards, and more specifically, to a vehicle door handle having an apparatus for protecting vehicle doors from damage due to impact when the door is opened.
2. Description of Related Art
Vehicle doors are especially vulnerable to damage at the time they are opened for entering and exiting a vehicle due to the risk of impact with outside objects. There is a high possibility of vehicle door damage in parking lots for example, where vehicles are usually arranged in rows and opening a vehicle door runs a high risk of bumping another vehicle parked alongside, thus damaging both vehicles. This risk is further compounded due to more crowded parking lots, narrower parking spaces and the popularity of larger and wider vehicles such as minivans and sport utility vehicles.
Conventional door guards involve a rubber strip for covering a portion of an edge of the door and sometimes also include reflective materials for increasing visibility. However, such door guards are not only unsightly but they offer little actual protection for the door itself, since any impact is still likely to dent the underlying portion of the door that is covered by the rubber strip. In addition, due to the varying heights of doors of different vehicles, complete protection is unlikely for a door protected with a such a door guard.
Accordingly, an easily installable vehicle door guard apparatus which provides effective and discrete protection against damage to a door exterior due to impact with outside objects, is highly desirable.
The present invention is directed to an improved vehicle door guard apparatus that is easily installable and provides effective and discreet protection for vehicle doors due to impact with outside objects. Advantageously, a door guard apparatus according to the present invention not only provides a barrier to protect the exterior of the door from damage, but also absorbs the force of the impact and assists in closing the door to minimize the impact itself.
According to an aspect of the present invention, a vehicle door guard apparatus is provided comprising a door handle having a proximal portion and a distal portion, said door handle being rotatably attached to a vehicle door; a lever; and a rod connected to the proximal portion of said door handle at a first end using the lever, said rod being connected to a vehicle body at a second end, wherein when the vehicle door is opened, the door handle is caused to be protruded from the vehicle door.
In another aspect of the present invention, a vehicle door guard apparatus is provided comprising a door handle having a proximal portion and a distal portion, said door handle being pivotally secured to a vehicle door by a joint; a lever having a first end, a second end, and a pivot point, said pivot point having means for receiving a rotatable fixing means for rotatably connecting the lever to the vehicle door, wherein the first end of the lever is pivotally connected to said proximal portion of the door handle; and a rod installed lengthwise along the vehicle door, the rod having a first end and a second end, said first end of the rod being pivotally connected to the second end of the lever and said second end of the rod being fixedly attached to a vehicle body, wherein when the vehicle door is opened, the lever is caused to be rotated, thereby protruding the door handle from the vehicle door.
These, and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will be described or become apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings.